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Episode 550
The women are forced to face up to armed mercenaries who have invaded the prison complex to rescue Ruth. After long hours of tense negotiations, the armed gang announce that a woman is to be shot at dawn unless the police comply with their demands. Plot Joan is just unlocking a security gate when she hears Joyce being led along the corridors by the terrorists in their search for Ruth. Joyce is claiming she doesn't know where Ruth is, possibly as a tactic to delay the gang as long as possible. Joan sets off the riot alarm and the fire alarm for good measure: she urges the women to go back to their cells for their own safety. Myra realises that something must be seriously wrong and tells the women to do as Joan says. Just outside solitary, Joyce realises she's left her keys in reception: Ruth waits anxiously in silence. Ettie sees a man with a machine gun through a high window in her cell (though it seems ungallant that the youngsters Lexie or Julie didn't climb up instead of her). The women speculate that someone must be trying to escape. One of the terrorists brings back Joyce's keys, much to her relief as the leader has threatened to shoot her if they aren't found. Joan tries to get out through the kitchen, but a fourth member of the gang is outside. The gang take the women out of their cells and line them up to try to find out what Joyce cannot tell them: Lou obliges and tells them that Ruth is in solitary. The leader, Ram, decides that the women should be locked in the rec room. The fire brigade arrive and find the dead gate guard, so they call the police. Two of the gang return from solitary with Ruth. Joan goes for one of the terrorists, but Ram subdues the women with a warning gunshot in the air. Joan and Joyce are locked in the rec room with the women. Ruth leads the terrorists towards the kitchen, but they see the police have (already!) immobilised the getaway car by removing the car keys which have thoughlessly been left in the ignition. A gun fight ensues between the gang and the police, which drives the gang back inside. Ann is called at home by the police and she decides to go to the prison. May tries the pick the lock on the rec room door, but the gang returns and one of them is set as an armed guard to make sure the women don't try anything. Dennis and Meg hear about the incident at prison on the TV at home. Nora and Daphne get the guard Max to take them to the toilet block while the other stands guard. May suggests to Myra they might try to distract the terrorists by getting someone to flirt with them: Lexie looks like the best option. Inspector Grace phones the prison staff room and speaks to Ram, the leader, on the phone: he tells Inspector Grace they are coming out and have two officers as hostages. Lexie agrees to be decoy and offers the guard a game of cards. Myra kicks him in the stomach. Lou goes for his gun, but Ram returns, lets off a burst of gunfire and threatens to blow Lou's head off unless she leaves the gun where it is. Joyce has to take off her uniform for Ruth to wear and the gang leave with Joan as a hostage. The terrorists try to get out of the prison through reception, but one of them is shot by a police marksman and finished off by Ram. Joan runs back inside and tries to locks them out of reception, but they shoot through the door. Ram punches Joan in the face to show her who's boss. Ram tells the gang they will wait for daylight to make their next move. The Federal Police want to prolong the siege to take Ruth alive and possibly get more information from her: Ann protests and Grace suggests they call in special operations. Joan tries to make an escape from the staff room, but is hit in the face with a rifle. Ruth stops Ram killing her , saying she wants the pleasure for herself, so Joan is dumped back in the rec room. Inspector Grace phones the prison again with a proposition: the gang will be allowed to go free if they hand Ruth over. Ram makes his own demands in return, including a jet for them to get away. Ettie starts up the community singing as Ram returns: he says he has told the police he will shoot one of them each hour until they agree to his demands: he demonstrates (with an unloaded pistol) on Jenny after drawing a crude target on her forehead Notes The extras enjoy themselves hugely in this episode: "Tina" for instance lets out a "scream" that sounds more like a shriek of girlish glee. Ruth says they have "thirty" hostages, but there are only two officers and eighteen prisoners in the rec room. Credits Meg ~ Elspeth Ballantyne Joan ~ Maggie Kirkpatrick Ann ~ Gerda Nicolson Myra ~ Anne Phelan Joyce ~ Joy Westmore Nora ~ Sonja Tallis May ~ Billie Hammerberg Willie ~ Kirsty Child Dennis ~ Nigel Bradshaw Ruth ~ Lindy Davis Daphne ~ Debra Lawrance Lexie ~ Pepe Trevor Lou ~ Louise Siversen Julie ~ Jackie Woodburne Ettie ~ Lois Ramsay Jenny ~ Jenny Lovell Pippa ~ Christine Harris Alice ~ Lois Collinder Tammy ~ Gloria Ajenstat Det Insp Grace ~ Terry Gill Ram ~ Robert Hughes Al ~ Gerard Kennay Max ~ Murray Fahey Jay ~ Conor McDermottroe Detective ~ James Patrick Fed. Cop No 1 ~ Scott Lucey Fed. Cop No 2 ~ Chris Hallam Fire Officer ~ Mark Rowan Fireman No 1 ~ Anthony Christie Fireman No 2~ Mark Gogall Gate Guard ~ David Blackman House Owner ~ Nick Burke Marksman No 1 ~ Helmut Jensen Marksman No 2 ~ John Steele Category:1985 Episodes Category:Episodes